


A Ramen Romance

by Shally



Category: Hajime no Ippo | Fighting Spirit
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-02-04 23:52:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12782355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shally/pseuds/Shally
Summary: No one knew why they were like this, but Kimura believed that Aoki and Tomiko could only be described as soulmates.





	A Ramen Romance

**Author's Note:**

> Day 1 challange of Hajime no Ippo week: prompt is fav couple. I think I might be one of few who love this couple.

No one knew why they were like this, but Kimura believed that Aoki and Tomiko could only be described as soulmates. 

Sitting inside of Aoki's ramen shop, Kimura had the displeasure of watching the pair of lovers. There was something humiliating at being the third wheel in an empty shop where your best friend was blatantly obvious with his affections. It took Kimura courage not to scowl or sigh whenever Aoki would used sickly sweet pet names, or when Tomiko squealed and blushed at Aoki's one liners. When Kimura wasn't staring deeply into the sloppily made dish in front of him, he was left looking at Aoki's heartfelt display of flirting. It seemed that Tomiko was the only thing on Aoki's mind, seeing how there was more onion and ginger then there were noodles in Kimura's dish. Even the egg that would have been delicately cut and displayed over a layer of meat now sat whole in his bowl. It was probably the saddest looking dish Kimura had ever paid fifteen dollars for.

Usually Aoki was on the ball with his meals, but this was a complete and utter fuck you in Kimura's general direction. 

"Of course you can have the shrimp soba, Tomiko! Anything for you!" Aoki beams as he disregards Kimura's raised hand and focuses solely on the smiling woman sitting before him. 

Kimura had never really looked at the woman before, nor did he really care for her existence in the beginning. It was only after Aoki and Tomiko had hit it off that Kimura had become invested in his best friends girlfriend. If he hadn't then he was sure Aoki would have called him a  selfish son of a bitch. Plus, if Aoki really wanted to be with this woman then Kimura knew he had to suck it up and be happy for his friend. There were enough Takamura’s in their gym; they didn't need another stubborn oaf. 

Turning to look at Tomiko now, because it seemed that Aoki had already shoved Kimura and any of his meal complaints to the back of his mind, Kimura realized that Tomiko seemed to have changed. He wasn’t sure when exactly, but as of late he had been spending more time with the couple, perfecting his third wheel status when he was forced to accompany them on many of their group dates, as Aoki liked to call them. 

When Kimura had been introduced to Tomiko months ago, probably back when they had their first summer training camp, he hadn't been impressed. There had been something off about the woman, not that Takamura’s rude assessment of her had meant anything to Kimura. He figured Aoki has always had odd taste in women, or that maybe he was desperate. It turned out that Tomiko had been someone who became more adored the more one knew her. 

The closer Aoki and Tomiko seemed to get over the year, the better the two of them seemed to look. Now it wasn’t so much as an aesthetic thing, Kimura mused to himself. Kimura’s definition of beauty had been warped ever since he got tired of working with flowers, so when it came to women Kimura usually focused on personality. The nurse Tomiko had always had an admirable figure and a sweet voice, but when she was with Aoki she seemed to glow. Even the dirtbag-Kimura’s so called best friend-looked over the moon with his uncontained joy. 

Aoki and Tomiko were radiant together. 

There was something bittersweet about seeing happiness right before you, close enough to touch, but realizing it wasn't something that could belong to you. Kimura wasn't exactly jealous, but he couldn't lie and say that it wasn't absolutely inspiring to see two people be so truly invested in each other. 

"Masaru honey, your cooking is amazing!" Tomiko beams as she chews whatever speciality dish Aoki had prepared for her. "What did you put inside here! I don't think I've ever had something this good before!"

Aoki smirks and tries to pull off a pose that Kimura can only assume is supposed to be cool.

"The secret ingredient is love, baby." Aoki points his cooking utensil at her, "and it's all for you."

"Masaru, you're so silly," Tomiko sighs in content, smiling regardless of his eccentric displays of affection. 

"Spare me..." Kimura sighs, stirring his supposed ramen with his chopsticks. 

"Oi, Kimura! When did you get here?!" Aoki beams, finally looking to the man who had been sitting beside his love for only the last twenty minutes. 

“Oh you know, just a few moments ago really.” He lies, his mood as lackluster as his ramen. 

Tomiko beams and grabs Kimura's arm, “oh sweetie don't be silly, Tatsuya here has been sitting quietly all along! He was so happy to come see you today that he didn’t even mind letting me tag along.” 

Aoki gives a large grin as he crosses his arms, looking smug as he turns his back to Kimura. “Heh, of course he'd be happy to see me. I haven't been to the gym in a while, sweetcakes, so Kimmy here musta been real lonely with only Taka-baka and the kid as company!” 

Kimura closes his eyes and resists the urge to break his chopsticks at the god awful nickname. “Yea, whatever you say Aoki, you beady eyed-"

“Hah!? What did you say, I missed that last part.” Aoki snaps as he leans forward, having heard each word quite clearly. 

“Now, now, Masaru, don't be so hard on him.” Tomiko reaches to grab her drink, sipping from the straw. “Kimura has been really down without you, and I know as much as I love spending time with you, I guess it's only right of me to share my snuggums.”

“Tomiko!” both Kimura and Aoki blurt out in confusion, staring at her before glancing at each other. 

“You really don't need to do that-" Kimura says awkwardly, rubbing his neck as if to ward off whatever the hell Tomiko was implying. 

“Baby, you don't wanna spend time with me anymore? But you're my princess, what's a frog gonna do without his-” Aoki cuts himself off at Tomiko’s wave of the hand. 

“That's not what I'm saying at all, Masaru,” she smiles, “plus we live together, of course I'm going to see you.” 

“So then?” Aoki asks suspiciously, glaring at Kimura, “having you been talking shit about me to Tomiko!? Not cool!” He shakes a fist, half tempted to toss his chef hat at Kimura’s bemused face.

“I mean, you make it easy-" 

“Bastard!” Aoki snarls. 

“But I never said anything, idiot!” Kimura growls, banging a fist onto the counter, “and before I forget, your ramen looks like shit! You didn't even peel the egg before throwing it in you fuck!”

Aoki gives a dramatic huff, “you're always complaining! Give a man an egg and now he wants you to crack it for him! Never satisfied!”

“You're damn right I'm not!”

Tomiko rests her chin on her hand as she leans forward, half amused. “You two are adorable.” 

“Huh?!” Kimura and Aoki snap in shock. 

“Masaru honey, we both know Kimura hasn’t said anything about you. All I'm trying to say is that the two of you are friends, right? You can spend time together- Masaru, you know I support you and your boxing. Don't give it up while you're in your prime!” she smiles lazily. 

Aoki pouts and looks between his friend and his girlfriend in contemplation, “well I mean...I have been missing hanging out with the guys.”

Kimura watches Tomiko carefully, wondering why she would go out of her way for him and Aoki’s friendship. Usually women wanted the pesky single friends out of the loop. Kimura wondered when he had become that guy, but it wasn't like Tomiko seemed to mind.

“Kimura come over tonight!” Aoki suddenly nods, “yea, we’ll eat good and watch a movie or something. Tomiko makes an amazing dip!” 

Tomiko smiles and laughs at his compliment, “liar! You're just so good at everything I need to try extra hard in the kitchen! But yes! Please come over more often Tatsuya, you know you're always welcome.”

And the worst part was that Kimura knew he was always welcome. That regardless of how much attitude he had or how little he saw Aoki, he knew the man was a better person than he was.

“Sure,” Kimura nods without meaning it, watching the two lovebirds chirp over what tonight's movie and meal would be. 

Soulmates. God, what Kimura would do for something like that. 

Maybe if he was lucky he would get just a slice of what Aoki had. 

But for now, it seemed like he was going to have to wait. 

“So am I getting a properly made ramen or what?”

“Make it yourself Kimura!” 

“Bastard!”


End file.
